Face to Face
by Lia Fae Tsuruga
Summary: (Adopted by Sarah Underwood) I have always known him as just Tsuruga-san. I never could have imagined what he has been suffering for so long, all from his unknown past. I will help him stop running away. I'll do anything to help him. To help Tsuruga-san . . . to help Kuon.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I will only say this once. I do not own Skip Beat.**

_Summary: I have always known him as just Tsuruga-san. I never could have imagined what he has been suffering for so long, all from his unknown past. I will help him stop running away. I'll do anything to help him. To help Tsuruga-san . . . to help Kuon._

_**Okay! Here is thus chapter one! I hope you like this story; I had actually thought of it during science class XD But in my defense it was the most boring movie I have ever seen. Anyways, on to reading! Oh, and in case you don't already know, flores means flowers in Spanish. Okay, I have distracted you far enough; I will shut up now. Happy Reading! **_

_**-LIA **_

**Chapter 1**

**Kyoko**

I stared down at the slip of paper in my hand, wondering why it had been put in my locker. There were elaborate designs on the borders, and the elegant writing made it seem more like a formal invitation than a note. There in the elegant writing was a simple two-sentenced note.

_Mogami-kun, please meet me at my office today as soon as you receive this message. The password is "__**Flores**__."_

_President Takadara._

The intention was obvious, but I couldn't help but wonder why it was in my locker. Why did he want me in his office? I glanced over at Kanae-san, who had arrived a few minutes before me and was getting ready to go to a job.

"Um, Moko-san? Did you receive a note in your locker today?" I asked. Moko-san turned to me, a strange look on her face. "No, I didn't. Why?" she asked.

"Nothing, just that I wanted to know if they wanted both of us to talk to President Takadara." I said, waving it off. "Okay, well I better be going." And with that I left Moko-san, walking towards the elevator that would take me to the top floor of the building, which was Takadara-san's office_. I wonder what Takadara-san needs to talk to me about._ I thought as the elevator arrived at the top floor with a clear _ding!_

A long hallway that led to two large double doors at the end greeted me as the doors opened. A lush carpet was on the floor, and beautiful vases of flowers and pictures of what I could only guess to be Spain.

It seemed that the President had decided on a Spaniard theme that day.

As I walked calmly to the other end of the hallway I was greeted by the president's secretary, Ando-san, who wore a black outfit with red pads on the shoulders, a white lace shirt popping through the front of his jacket, and a red scarf around his waist.

"What is the password?" he asked as soon as I arrived.

"_Flores_." I said, trying to pronounce the foreign word.

Ando-san nodded his head and opened one of the doors.

I thanked him and slipped past the door, hearing as it closed behind me. I was met with another hallway, this one shorter, that led to another two doors that led to what was the president's office.

I walked towards the doors, glancing at and admiring the decorations on the walls. I made it to the doors to find one slightly ajar. I raised a hand to knock, but froze when I heard the president talking to someone. I was about to turn back when I heard something that caught my attention.

"Ren, you cannot keep on running away."

I froze, and turned back in the direction of the sound. It was obviously the president's voice that I heard. But the mention of my sempai threw me off. _Running away? _I thought. I knew it wasn't any of my business, but my body seemed to react on it's own and I was soon standing right next to the door, managing to be able to make out most of what was being said. There was a silence.

"It has been seven years." President Takadara continued.

_Is he on the phone?_ I wondered.

"Yes, I know. But you have to confront your past. You cannot continue to live like this forever, Kuon."

_Wait . . . what?_ I pressed myself closer.

The president continued to talk, but I knew what I heard. The question was why he would call Tsuruga-san 'Kuon.'

"It is your birth name, and I will call you by it . . . I have not forgotten. You are twenty-one years old, you cannot continue to run from your past forever. Your father and mother miss you . . . The reason why I did that, Kuon, was because you wanted to make a life for yourself, and you did. You have to go back, otherwise you will never be able to move forward . . ."

A sigh, and then the sound of a phone shutting.

I was immobile as a statue, my mind slowly processing what I heard. _Tsuruga-san . . . running away . . . 'Kuon?'_

As I thought this, I had only a second's notice before the door opened fully, revealing President Takadara wearing an extravagant outfit as always, and a mobile in his hand.

Oh no.

"Good morning Mogami-kun. Please, come in." Seemingly unfazed by finding me practically spying on him, he turned and calmly walked over to his desk on the other end of the room, fully expecting me to follow him.

Which I did.

"Please, take a seat." He said, motioning to the lavish couch in front of his desk with his hand as he himself sat down. I silently did so, staring down at my hands as color stained my cheeks. He simply got right to the point and spoke calmly, as though discussing something as mundane and common like if I had a good morning instead of the accusatory tone I most definitely deserved. "Mogami-kun, would you mind telling me exactly how much of my conversation you heard?"

My cheeks burned a brighter red.

"I'm so sorry for eavesdropping on you!" I said, getting on the ground and kneeling before him. "I shouldn't have done that, it was not in any way excusable! I give my deepest apologies! I am so sorry!"

"Mogami-kun, please sit, there is no need to bow. I would prefer to see your face when talking to you as well, instead of having to look over my desk."

Silently I stood up and sat down once more, my hands clasped in my lap.

"Now Mogami-kun, I will ask again, please tell me how much of my conversation you heard." President Takadara said patiently.

I bit my lip.

"Quite a bit." I admitted. " . . . Something about Tsuruga-san running away, of having to face his past, and . . . you kept on calling him Kuon." I said, finally looking up on the last word.

For some reason the name set bells ringing in my head. I remembered the name from somewhere, but I couldn't remember where exactly.

"Well, that is quite a bit. Actually it is almost all I was going to tell you about." President Takadara said, bringing his hands together in front of him on the desk.

I stared at him in shock.

"You see Mogami-kun, Ren–or rather, Kuon–is facing a lot of problems with himself. Ren's real name is Kuon, and when he was fifteen I helped him make a life out of himself, to stop from being in the life he held. He has a dark past, and even after seven years he has yet to be able to face it. He has been running away from it, in a sense." He explained.

I was utterly silent.

"But . . . President, why are you telling me this?" I asked when I was finally able to somewhat compose myself.

"Because Mogami-kun, you hold a special place in Ren's heart. You are his kohai, and I know that if anyone can convince him to do it, it's you. Please, Mogami-kun, would you do me the favor of helping that idiot to be able to face his past?"

I was amazed. Astounded. Overwhelmed. Startled. Stupefied. Only these words could describe the state of supreme shock I was in. So much information the past of my sempai was given to me in such a short time. I never knew of his past. I never knew that he was running away. Even less that he had another name . . .

I was only frozen for a few moments before I nodded my head.

"Yes. I'll do it." I said, gaining more determination as each word passed my lips.

The president simply smiled.

"Thank you Mogami-kun." He said.

"But . . ." I started. "How do I get him to face his past? How can I make him do it?"

"Well that is left up to you." Takadara-san said, sitting back in his throne-like chair. "Although, I suggest you wait a bit first. Get close to him, and then convince him."

"But how do I do that?" I asked.

"I cannot really help you with this, although . . ." a grin appeared on his features. "As for getting close to him, I can take care of that."

I internally grew wary of the look in his eyes. That look only appeared when he was planning something extravagant. _Should I be worried?_ I wondered. I opened my mouth to say something, when he cut me off.

"Well that was all I wished to talk to you about Mogami-kun. You may go back to work now, we both have quite a bit to do."

And with that I was dismissed.

As I walked over to the elevator to go to another floor of the building, my mind was whirling with what I had learned. Unbeknownst to me, a certain odd president was already planning something as he sat in his desk.

President Takadara stared longingly at the bright red flamenco dress he had bought beforehand. With a small sigh he looked away and mulled over his thoughts. _I guess sending Mogami-kun to Ren wearing a flamenco dress as a present is going to have to wait for another time._ He thought. _I had planned on getting those two together first, but this isn't so bad either. _

_Ren . . . this is the opportunity of a lifetime. You have to face your past, and if anyone is going to convince you to do it . . . it's that girl. Don't mess it up. _

_**And thus is the end of chapter one! In case you noticed, I called the president's secretary Ando-san. I have no idea what his real name is, and haven't been able to find it, so this is what I shall call him from now on. If you know what his real name is though, feel free to tell me! I hope you enjoyed reading this, and please review and tell me what you think! **_

_**-LIA**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**And here is chapter two! Please review and tell me what you think! Also thank you for all of you who reviewed, and also thank you for telling me Sebastian's real name. Also for **_

**wall flower otaku:**_** Lol, no, I did not intend to make this story AR, I actually had forgotten about that detail. I guess I just failed to do all of my research before starting. Oh well. No, I'm not offended, it's fine. I would change it, but I don't really think it really matters, since it is a small detail, but I will remember to check for things like that next time. Anyways thanks for the review! **_

_**Now I will stop rambling and let you continue with the chapter. Here we go! **_

_**-LIA**_

~O~

**Chapter 2**

_Tsuruga-san . . . Kuon. _

"Ku . . ." I frowned and shook my head. "Kuo . . ." I began again, only to shut my mouth again before I could finish. I gave a frustrated sigh. It shouldn't be this hard to say a name. But then again, it was Tsuruga-san's name. It was his real name, something no one knows about besides him and Takadara-san. And now me.

_Tsuruga-san is Tsuruga-san!_ I small voice in my head said. _It doesn't matter that he has a different birth name. He is still himself. There isn't any reason to suddenly be all self-conscious about it. Just because he has a different name does not change who he is._

"Tsuruga-san." I said, this time more definitely. _I will not change suddenly just because he has a different name. _I thought to myself. _He is Tsuruga-san. _

And with that thought in mind I changed into my nightclothes and went to bed, deciding that I should sleep early for the night.

It was when my head barely hit the pillow that there was a sound coming from my bedside table. I glanced over and found that it was my phone. I immediately reached over and answered it, sitting up as I pressed the device against my ear.

"Hello?" I said into the phone.

"Ah, Mogami-san, I'm sorry to call you so late." Sawara-san said from the other line.

"No, it's perfectly fine." I answered.

"All right, yes, I called to inform you that you have received a new job offer, for a drama called _Hidden Secrets._"

I immediately perked up.

"That's great!" I replied. But then a thought struck me. "But why did you call me now? Couldn't it have waited for tomorrow?"

I knew that Sawara-san wouldn't call just for that. He could have told me tomorrow morning. There was something off.

"There are two things that I thought that you should know as soon as possible." Sawara-san said.

"What is it?" I asked.

"You are playing not only the part of the heroine, but also are playing alongside Tsuruga-san, who is the main protagonist in the story."

I felt my mouth open in shock.

"Congratulations Mogami-san, you have finally begun to become a top rate actress."

I could practically jump in glee. _Finally! I was finally reaching the top!_ But then I remembered that there was another thing.

"Thank you! But, you also said there was another thing?" I said, growing slightly wary despite my joy.

"Yes. The other thing is that President Takadara has made it so that both you and Tsuruga-san are to go to Kyoto tomorrow, in order to get ready for your roles."

I was silent for a few moments.

"Mogami-san?" Sawara-san said from the other line.

"Yes? I'm sorry; I was just a bit surprised. I haven't been in Kyoto for so long." I said. "It was just a bit to take in. All right, so who else is going with us? Is the director going as well? Is the entire cast?" I asked.

"Um, no, Mogami-san. It is only you and Tsuruga-san that are going to Kyoto tomorrow."

I frowned for a moment before it dawned on me.

"Oh, all right. Thank you for telling me Sawara-san." I said cheerfully.

"Ah, your welcome. Well, I'm sorry for disturbing you, so I will see you tomorrow then?"

"Yes. See you tomorrow." And with that I shut my phone.

_So this is what Takadara-san meant when he said he would take care of it._ I thought.

But then I remembered what happened at Kyoto. My birthplace. There I had suffered for almost all of my childhood. I gave a weary sigh. _So many bad memories._ I thought. _Being bullied at school. Sho's parents, my mother . . . _I stopped myself before I continued. _No, I would not think of that now. I was going to Kyoto with Tsuruga-san for two things. To get the role set, and to help him with his past. Nothing else. _

_Don't think about the past, Kyoko._ A voice in my head said.

My head snapped up as I suddenly remembered something. I got up from my bed and went directly to my purse on the other side of the room, reaching in and searching for the small pouch that carried my most prized possession.

As I took it out I gave a small sigh of relief. I clutched the small violet stone to my chest, practically feeling all the bad thoughts and feelings abscond from my body. I gave a contended sigh. Just like when I was younger, this stone always calmed me down without fail.

Continuing to hold it for a few moments more, I finally set it back inside the pouch I had taken it out of and put it inside my purse once more.

_Don't think of the past,_ the same voice in my head repeated.

"I won't." I replied, not realizing I had said the words aloud. And with that I went back to bed and rest my head in the pillow, bringing the covers tight around me.

_It's only to help Tsuruga-san._ I repeated to myself once more before I let the dark clutches of unconsciousness bring me into a deep sleep.

~O~

"Ah, good morning Mogami-san." Sawara-san said behind his desk the next morning.

"Good morning Sawara-san." I answered with a bow. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, I have your script here for your new drama, _Hidden Secrets_." He said, handing me a rather large stack of paper in front of him.

"Thank you," I said, taking the script from his hands.

"Also, Mogami-san, there is also one more thing I need to tell you abou-"

"LET US SALSA!"

I whipped around, startled by the sudden noise to find bright red confetti flying in the air as the president, followed by several dancers wearing bright red dresses around him, entered the room, startling some of the newer employees of LME, and only somewhat disturbing the older ones.

Before I knew what was happening, I was taken away in a whirlwind of red as the president took my hand and led me away, the dancers trailing behind us as I held onto the script for dear life. When we left, all that was left to show of the sudden appearance was the red confetti, which was still falling on the ground, and the faces of the startled employees as they stared in wonder at what had just happened.

"Oh dear." Sawara-san said with a small sigh. "What has out president decided to do this time?"

~O~

In the whirlwind that was the President, I was somehow taken all the way to a black helicopter on the roof of the building, and pushed inside while the pilot immediately took off. I had no other choice other to fasten my seatbelt and wait as I was taken to who-knows where. Out of the corner of my eye as I watched the President's slowly shrinking form, I noticed that there was another black helicopter on the roof of the building. But then I was gone.

President Takadara chuckled from the roof of the building, grinning from ear to ear as he watched Mogami-kun take off. He wondered when she would notice that he had put on the flamenco dress on her. As he thought this, Sebastian, his secretary, stood next to him.

"Mister President, it seems as though Tsuruga-san has entered the building."

The President grinned wider.

"LET US SALSA!" he cried, and was gone with the dancers trailing after him, ready to take the unsuspecting Tsuruga-san much in the same way he had taken Mogami-kun. Oh if only he would be able to see Ren's face when he saw Mogami-kun wearing a flamenco dress.

This was definitely going to be fun.

_**And thus is the end of chapter two! I hope you enjoyed reading it, please tell me what you think! I have already got part of the next chapter done; the only problem is finding time to do so. But don't worry; I won't torture you all by having an extremely long waiting period. Up next is life in Kyoto! I can't wait!**_

_**-LIA**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Here is chapter three! Thank you so much for the reviews, favorites, and alerts, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Also I put in part of Ren's POV, and I plan on doing that a bit more as the story goes on, to be able to see how Ren struggles with himself as Kuon; I hope that doesn't throw you off. Anyways, happy reading! **_

_**-LIA**_

**Chapter 3**

**Ren**

"_What were you thinking?_" I demanded, letting a small percentage of my annoyance seep into my voice.

As always, Takadara-san seemed unfazed from the other line.

"What do you mean, Ren?" he asked.

"You know perfectly well what I mean." I answered stiffly. "Kidnapping. Kyoko. _Flamenco dress_."

"Ah, yes, that."

I could almost hear him grin from the other line.

"_Why_-" I began, but was cut off as he spoke.

"Before you go on pouting, let me say that it was the female dancers with me who changed her. I did not do it, so you can calm down."

I paused. Well, at least he didn't change her. _But even so._ I opened my mouth to retort when I was cut off once more.

"Also, you have to admit that red suits her."

I was silent as the memory of the bright red flamenco dress flooded my mind.

"Your welcome Ren." President Takadara said with a chuckle.

"It is still not proper to have us stranded here in Kyoto-" I began.

"Ah, but you see, you are not stranded. You are in a nice house, with enough food to last you the two-week period that you will be staying there, and you can also go swimming, take a walk around the forest to enjoy nature, and simply relax. It's a nice change to being in the bustling city of Tokyo, no?"

I didn't answer.

"And it is the perfect place to focus on your role."

With that reminder I felt my entire demeanor shift. That's right. I had to do the role. I unconsciously stiffened and put on an indifferent look on my face so that it were as though I was conversing something as banal and mundane as the weather. It was something I had managed to master after so many years.

"Ren," he began, sensing the sudden change in atmosphere and switching to a more serious tone. "You knew you had to face this some day. It's best to do it now, you are still young and there is still hope. Don't let it eat you away until it is too late. This is the perfect opportunity to face you inner demons, away from the eyes of the public."

At this I clenched my fists, the knuckles turning an unnatural white as I forced my breathing to be level.

" . . . And you can also enjoy some quality time with Kyoko while you're there." Takadara-san said, suddenly breaking the tension. "A white dress flowing in the cool breeze, the sun shining on her glowing skin and hair-"

"Takadara-sa-" I warned.

"Have fun." And before I could finish speaking he hung up.

I stared down at the phone in my hand, as though if I stared hard enough, I would be able to send my annoyance to the person that I had previously been conversing with.

With a mighty sigh I shut the phone and set it down on the bedside table, sitting down on the large king-sized bed and rubbing my face with my hands.

Suddenly the memory of Kyoko in a flamenco dress flashed in my mind. I groaned. _Red does look good on her. _I thought to myself, running a hand through my hair. _I'm so weak._

**Kyoko**

I quickly slid the door behind me, my face turning a deep shade of red as I recalled what had happened just a few minutes before.

~O~

The trip in the helicopter had been pretty short, and when the helicopter finally landed it was greeted with another helicopter that landed right beside the one I was on. From the helicopter emerged Tsuruga-san, his jacket and hair billowing around him. From there the two helicopters had taken off, disappearing into the blue sky and leaving no trace of their existence.

For a few moments I simply stared at Tsuruga-san, and he at me, both of us shocked at what just happened. Tsuruga-san was the sooner to recover, as he cleared his throat and spoke.

"Mogami-san, do you mind telling me what you are wearing?"

It was only then that I looked down at my clothes and saw what they had been replaced with. Instead of the outfit I had been previously wearing, I was now dressed in a bright red flamenco dress with black lace, and red high heels!

I promptly jumped and turned a bright red, ironically matching the hue of the dress, and mumbling to myself.

"How did he change my clothes?" I wondered aloud. It was then that I remembered Tsuruga-san, and forced myself to look up at him. He had a strange look on his face, and I managed to identify the aura around him that appeared when he was angry.

_What could he be angry about?_ I wondered, slightly cowering in the presence of rage. An angry Tsuruga-san was not a good Tsuruga-san.

As I did so I noticed something on the edge of my peripheral vision. I turned my head and noticed that some distance away there was what appeared to be a traditional Japanese-style house.

From there we went inside the house, and were greeted by the president's voice coming from a phone some distance off.

"_Hello Ren, Mogami-kun. Now that you are hearing this message, it means that you have reached the house. As you may have guessed, I have prepared this residence where you two shall be staying for the time period of two weeks in order to prepare for your roles. Here you will find all that you need; all food, clothing, and water preparations along with others have been taken care of. Mogami-kun, your room is on the east side of the house, Ren, yours is on the west side. The rest of the house is yours to explore. Please take this time to develop your roles and to enjoy your time here in Kyoto!" _

The President's voice vanished from the room, leaving Tsuruga-san and I in silence.

"I-I will go get changed." I said, stuttering over my words as I was reminded once more of what I was wearing. "Goodbye, Tsuruga-san." With a hurried bow I went off onto the east side of the house and began to search the rooms for what would be my room so I could change into a different set of clothes.

~O~

And so here I was, my face the same color as my dress, as I thought of what just happened. I knew this was to help Tsuruga-san but . . . how in the world was I supposed to act towards him now?

~O~

I changed into different clothes and stepped out of my room, deciding that it would be best to familiarize myself with the house. I silently walked down the hallways, now taking time to admire the house for what it was. Everything inside was made of the finest quality and appeared good as new, and yet was still built in the way of the traditional Japanese home, down to even the smallest of details. It would make any architect proud to be able to say that they created it.

It were as though I was taken back in time, and for a time I felt as though I actually were, as I imagined nobles and aristocrats walking through these very hallways. It was then that at the corner of my vision I saw Tsuruga-san, apparently exploring the house as well.

"Good evening Mogami-san."

_**A bit of a cliffy! XD I love cliff hangers so much, but I won't torture you all by waiting an excessively large amount of time unless it is absolutely necessary. Next is actually living with each other, oh dear. What shall our dear characters do?:D**_

_**-LIA**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Long week. And the musical is being put on. That is the reason why it took me so long to update, so please do not believe I was simply procrastinating. I know I haven't been putting in any actual depth and plot into the story, I hope I make up for it by introducing the characters in this chapter, and I do plan on putting in more and more of the plot into the next chapters as I go along. Okay, Lory time is over. Anyways thank you for the reviews, favorites and alerts, please enjoy chapter four!**_

_**-LIA**_

**Chapter 4**

**Kyoko**

"Good evening Mogami-san."

My breath caught I my throat in surprise. He had appeared so suddenly and silently, had I not spotted him I would have jumped.

"Ah, good evening Tsuruga-san." I said, quickly bowing to make up for my slip up.

Had he noticed it, he did not show, as Tsuruga-san simply smiled, seemingly unfazed by my reaction.

"Were you exploring the house?" he asked. I nodded.

"Yes, it's really amazing. I feel as though I've gone back in time." I confessed with a small blush. "It's almost as though this was actually a house of the royal family back in its prime."

"I think the people who created it would be happy to hear that." Tsuruga-san answered with another smile.

I felt my face redden.

"An, have you ever been in a house like this Tsuruga-san?" I asked.

"Once . . . when I was younger." And even though there was a smile on his face, I detected that something changed. It was as though the entire area around him had changed completely, and I knew I hit a nerve. There was a silence, and suddenly it struck me. _It probably has something to do with his past._ I realized. But what should I say? As I opened my mouth to say something, anything to get his mind off his past, the serious atmosphere disappeared.

"That was a long time ago." Tsuruga-san cleared his throat and extended his hand in the American greeting. "I should say first congratulations on getting the role. I look forward to working with you."

I smiled in return and clasped my hand in his.

"Thank you, I look forward to working with you as well." _And helping you._ I added silently.

"I will see you around, Mogami-san." With a nod of his head, Tsuruga-san left, going off in the direction he had come.

I stood there for a few moments more before deciding to explore the rest of the house. It was definitely not as extravagant as I had feared, in fact it was actually modest compared to how I had become accustomed the president's taste to be. All the doors were the traditional paper sliding doors; on the walls were few decorations, such as paper scrolls, or in some cases even katanas, however not much more than that. It is only near the entrance in the main hall that there were more extravagant things, which included precious vases and paintings of emperors. However as one got deeper inside the house would they find the more modern area, and my second-favorite part of the house; the kitchen. It was equipped with only the best in kitchen utensils and the best ingredients-truly one fit for only the worlds' most elite Japanese chefs. But despite the perfectness of the room, it was not my favorite area of the house. The true beauty was held in the garden. It was held in the back of the house, with greenery surrounding all around. Near the steps leading down to the garden were several bonsai trees, and some distance off there was a small bridge crossing over a stream, which later led to a small waterfall. I could spot several cherry blossom trees, however they were just a short time away from blooming. Just looking at this garden made me feel calm, as though nature itself were speaking to me and washing all of my troubles away. A serene place.

But despite this beautiful place and the mission given to me by the president, my role also came first.

~O~

"Mori Fuyuki." I said aloud to myself, looking down at my hands clasped in my lap.

_Fuyuki. You are seventeen years old. You grew up in Kyoto and have lived there all of your life, and up until around middle school with both parents. Your mother died when you were thirteen from sickness, and so you were left with only your father, who became very protective of you because of it. You have a few close friends, but most of the people know your name and recognize who you are. You are also very kind and pure, you have never had hate in your heart . . ._ I paused for a moment before forcing myself to move on. _**He**__ is not a part of this. _I chanted to myself.

And one day you met Miura Yori, a man who you would change forever.

~O~

**Ren**

I turned the water on and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water pour around me. Showers have always been my favorite place to think. Even when I was young I found myself solving out the more difficult problems of life while standing in the shower, the water hitting my bare skin and clearing my mind. As I grew older there have been fewer and fewer occurrences where I would need to take one in the middle of the day simply to think, and this was one of them.

_Yori Miura. You are nineteen years old, a troublemaker since young. Very adventurous, very brash, and when you were a child, very cheerful and bright. But that changed as you grew older. You became influenced by the growing violence you witnessed in the shadows of society, growing more and more twisted until you finally reached your peak and killed a man. _

_He is like Kuon._ I thought with a humorless chuckle.

_Blood. Violence. All of it is familiar to you. Your parent's disappointed face has been shown more times than you can count. However you don't see them much any more. You only arrive home at the wee hours of the morning, sometimes not even then. School has lost hope with you, and you are considered a disgrace among society. Even among the gang you had temporarily joined in, you were not welcomed. You were a lone wolf, never trusting, never loving. Always watching, and fighting. That was until one day you simply ran away to Kyoto, and there you met Fuyuki . . ._

A bright girl, pure and kind enough to accept you and meet you every day at a small clearing that would change you forever.

"The story of my life." I murmured to myself. "You had to pick the one role that hit home the closest, didn't you, you stupid president? Don't you simply understand that I can't risk it? Especially with her." I rest my forehead against the tile wall. "Honestly, what were you thinking? With her here, I'm that much more reluctant to do it. I can't let him come out."

With those thoughts in mind, I turned the shower off and stepped out, wrapping myself in a towel.

"I will not let him come out."

_**Once again sorry for the late update, but life happens, you know? Also in case you weren't sure I put the names last name first name, just to clear that up. That you once again for the reviews, favorites, and alerts, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! **_

_**-LIA**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**You all hate me now. I get it, I understand. My apology, along with a plate full of cookies and churros, is that I'm already done with over half of the next chapter, and a spoiler at the end of this chapter. Once again, I'm sorry.**_

_**-LIA**_

**Chapter 5**

**Kyoko**

_BEEP!_

_BEEP!_

_BEEP!_

I awoke the next morning to the sound of my alarm clock, quickly opening my eyes and stretching out a hand to turn it off. As the sharp beeping stopped, I sat up, rubbing the grogginess from my eyes.

For a moment I forgot where I was as I looked around the unfamiliar room, but then the events of the day before came back. A single smile appeared on my face. Despite being indoors, I could tell that it was going to be a wonderful day. I stood up and rolled up my futon, then headed straight for the bathroom to take a shower. Emerging from my room, I walked straight to the kitchen, only pausing to admire the rising sun and take a deep breath of the crisp morning air.

Once arriving at the kitchen, I took off my jacket and hung it up on the coat rack at the entrance and put on a white apron, then went to work on making breakfast.

_Just a pinch of salt,_ I thought, carefully adding the said ingredient onto the broiled fish as it cooked.

"That smells delicious." Said a voice behind me.

So focused had I been in making breakfast, I almost jumped when I heard someone interrupt the little bubble I had been in. But when I turned around, I saw that it was only Tsuruga-san standing by the doorway.

"Ah, good morning Tsuruga-san!" I said, smiling brightly.

"Good morning." He answered, returning the smile with one of his own.

"Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes, so um . . ." I trailed off, not quite sure what I should say after that. Thankfully Tsuruga-san was never at a miss for words.

"All right, what are you making?"

"Broiled fish, tamagoyaki, natto, nori, and miso soup." I said, placing the food in their respective dishes as I spoke.

"Sounds great."

With a shy smile upon my face, I turned the heat on the range* off and began to place the steamed rice in the bowls.

There was a silence as I worked, however it was not uncomfortable, knowing that someone was watching me while I cooked.

As promised, breakfast was ready in three minutes, and when I turned around with the plates in hand I found Tsuruga-san beside me, taking one of the plates in his hand.

"Here, allow me to help you with that." He said, and with a warm smile he turned and we walked past a door to the dining area, where a single low table sat in the middle of the room with several silk cushions around it.

The room was simple, however it was at the back of the house, and so on one side you could open the screen doors and look outside at the garden and enjoy fresh air while you ate.

"I better go and take this apron off," I said once the plates were on the table. "I will be right back." And with a bow of my head I left the room and went to retrieve the jacket I had been wearing to replace the apron.

Once I came back Tsuruga-san was sitting on a cushion and gave a warm smile as I entered.

It was as we ate that I cleared my throat and proposed the thought that I had been mulling over in my mind the night before.

"Um, Tsuruga-san," I began, taking a glance at my sempai.

"Yes Mogami-san?" he asked, turning his brown gaze to me.

"Um, well since the president got us here to practice our roles, I was thinking that maybe it would be beneficial to have us um, practice some scenes together . . .?"

I let the rest of the sentence hang and looked down at my plate, since I had finished my food a few moments ago.

There was a moment of terrible silence, and I almost gave a sigh of relief when Tsuruga-san spoke.

"Yes, that would be wise."

"All right, when?" I asked, now letting myself look up.

"Hmm . . . How about two o'clock until four two times a week? Is that fine with you?"

"Yes!"

~O~

_I walked around throw the trees and finally arrived at what I called my Haven. At least that was what I called it. It was a small area in the land surrounding Kyoto with a long stream surrounded by rocks. The trees hid the entire area, which was why I had never met anyone else going to this stream all of the years I had come here. The only reason I had ever known of its existence was because my mother showed me this clearing when I was young. This was the place I came to think, and since I had never seen anyone else here since my mother's death, I was surprised when I saw someone sitting on the large rock I sat on when I came here. _

"_Oh, I didn't know there was somebody else here." I said, walking towards the stranger who was sitting on the large rock some distance away. He was silent and simply turned his head towards me, looking shocked as to seeing me walking towards him. _

_I held out my hand._

"_Hello. My name is Mori Fuyuki, what is your name?" I asked, waiting for him to take it. _

_There were a few moments of silence before finally the stranger took my hand in his, and we shook. _

" _. . . Yori." He said after another moment, simultaneously letting go of my hand. _

_I smiled. _

"_So Yori, what are you doing here?" I asked, sitting down besides him on the ground. _

"_Thinking . . ."_

"_Yeah, the stream is a really nice place to think at. But how did you find it?" _

_And yet as I did so something in my mind began screaming WRONG! WRONG! __**WRONG!**_

"_I just wandered . . ."_

_The stranger paused._

"_I just wandered . . ."_

_A longer pause. I began to grow confused._

"I . . ."

And finally the most troubling thing. A sigh.

"Mogami-san," Tsuruga-san began, and once he mentioned my name I immediately snapped out of my character, my face showing my confusion.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry, but can we start over?" he asked.

I was startled by such a request. Was it something I did?

_Did he forget his lines? _

Yet as soon as the thought went through my mind it was crushed down by logic. Of course Tsuruga-san wouldn't forget his lines, he was Tsuruga-san! He would obviously have memorized over half of the script by now, just as I had memorized part of it before.

Then it must have been something else. Another thought struck me. _Was it like when we were rehearsing for Dark Moon, where he made us re-do the scene again and again because I wouldn't get the character correct? Was that it?_

Something similar to the thoughts going on in my mind must have shown themselves on my face, because Tsuruga-san gave me a smile.

"Don't worry, there's nothing wrong, I just want to re-do the scene."

This helped ease my mind a little, just enough so that I wasn't compelled to ask what I did wrong at that exact moment.

"All right then."

I stood up from my place and went back to the door of the room which had thus become my 'entrance,' and began the scene once more.

I tried slightly altering my Fuyuki, from the casual air around her to the way she spoke, but it a futile attempt. Tsuruga-san asked to repeat the scene from the exact same place as before. Again.

And again.

And again.

I knew there was definitely something wrong. Just as in the first try, a part of my mind kept on warning me that something was strange, but I couldn't pin point what. And every time we re-did the scene Tsuruga-san would sigh, and each one of those sighs was like a hammering down on his head as he sunk lower and lower into sorrow.

I was getting worried.

"Tsuruga-san, what's wrong? What is it that needs to be fixed?"

Because for the likes of me, no matter how hard I tried I simply couldn't find what was wrong or needed to be fixed, or what would bother Tsuruga-san to the point of having to stop and restart so soon into the scene.

"Is it something I did?" I asked, bowing down so I could see his face as he sighed for what seemed to be the thousandth time in the past few hours. _Or_, I added silently, suddenly remembering why both of us were here. _Does it have something to do with your past?_

"No, it's not you Mogami-san, it's . . ." he appeared to be struggling on how to phrase it.

"You must have felt it as well. I am unable to grasp Yori. I am not . . ." he let the rest hang, as though he were about to say something, but decided not to. Another sigh.

"Thank you Mogami-san, but I think this is all we will be able to accomplish today . . . I think I'm going to take a walk. Maybe it's just tension that is worrying me." He finished. Yet it sounded weak to my ears.

I hesitated, split between asking him to continue what he was about to say or simply letting it slide for now. In the end I chose the later of the two, although begrudgingly.

"All right."

With a nod in my direction, Tsuruga stood up from the relatively bare room we had turned into our practice set, and left, leaving me alone as I mulled over what had just happened.

How badly I wished to go over to Tsuruga-san and do something, but what exactly could I do? What was the president thinking, letting me do this by myself. Determination alone will get me nowhere; I won't be able to do anything for-

_SMACK_!

My cheek stung from the sudden hit, but it was definitely worth it. What had I been thinking? Getting depressed is not going to solve anything. It was good I had slapped myself before it got too far.

Mind set back on track, I looked down at the watch on my wrist, realizing with wide eyes that it was already past five. We had been going over the same scene over and over for the past three hours.

I glanced back at the door Tsuruga-san had long left from.

_Tsuruga-san._

~O~

**Ren**

I sat down heavily on my bed, running a hand through my hair before letting my head fall completely on my hands.

It was wrong. Simply wrong.

Even though Kyoko and I had gone through the scene so many times, we spent three hours with no improvement.

_She was even thinking that it was something wrong with __**her**__ acting._ I thought to myself. _How could I be so useless as to let her think such thoughts? Why could I not simply move on with the scene and see where it took me?_

_Because you're a perfectionist when it comes to your work._ A voice in my head answered for me.

"I could have moved on with the scene." I countered.

_No, you couldn't have. You would have felt mediocre, and that is something you do not tolerate. _

I gave a sigh.

_What am I even doing, fighting with myself?_ I thought exasperatedly.

What I have to do is clear. I need to become Yori, without letting Kuon out. I have to do it. Not for my sake, but for Kyoko's. She is too pure, too innocent. I will not let Kuon hurt her in any way, even if indirectly.

"That is what I promised long ago." I whispered to myself.

With that in mind I went inside my futon, suddenly feeling very tired, as though I had been drained.

It was only a few moments later that I fell into a dreamless sleep.

_**Range* - I'm not quite sure what is used to cook when making Japanese cuisine, so I just went with range. If you know what would be the proper machine/technique/tools, I would most deeply appreciate it to fix it. **_

_**And so to conclude this particularly long Author's Note, here is the spoiler, as promised. **_

_Well, I really couldn't back down now. Clearing my throat, I finally spoke. _

"_Um, Tsuruga-san, if . . . if you ever need someone to talk to, you know I . . . I'm here . . . right?"_

"_Yes . . . I know."_

_**Thank you for reading, off to the next chapter!**_

_**-LIA**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**I told you I had the first half already done! Thank you so much to the people who put this story on alert, and thank you deeply to my two reviewers for the last chapter **_Lady of the Hunt_** (awesome name by the way) and **_kitty.0_**. Both of you thank you so much; you guys rock! Like before I have part of the next chapter done, as you shall see at the bottom of this chapter with the preview. I have taken your time enough, so on to reading! **_

**Kyoko**

_Tsuruga-san seems to have gotten over his bad mood from the day before._ I thought to myself as I served lunch the next day.

During the rest of the day and at night before I went to bed, I contemplated about going and asking what was wrong, or simply letting it roll over for now. I couldn't very well suddenly question him; that would be too rude! But could I really just let it slide and not help him?

It was already dark as I was still stuck between the two, and so there was nothing I really _could_ do besides the latter of the two, which was to simply let it roll over for now. However I had still been worried about him as I slept, barely managing to get a bit of dreamless sleep from pure exhaustion.

I was dreading seeing him still in his resigned mood when breakfast came, however it appeared as though I worried naught, for he was acting no differently from normal. There wasn't even the gentleman's smile he wore in order to hide his emotions. It was real, and it was as though the events from the day before hadn't happened.

~O~

The time spent here on Kyoto was probably the most relaxing I had ever had. It was only when I finally had a full afternoon to myself with nothing to do besides walk around that I truly realized how much of a lack of relaxing I had done over the course of my life.

My life as a child had been completely dedicated to my studies and learning how to become a proper hostess at Shotaro's parents' inn. When arriving at Tokyo I had to work hard day and night in order to pay the rent, not even able to spare a little bit of money in order to buy the occasional comfort or luxury other girls would be able to do. Even now, over the past two years in the entertainment industry I have always been working with memorizing scripts, working on my schoolwork, and simply trying to bring myself up in the entertainment industry with both the LoveMe section and other jobs. Not even mentioning the whole Bo thing.

Never in my life had I, Mogami Kyoko, ever relaxed. And so when I finally got the opportunity to, it was with slight pain and submission. I felt as though I should be doing _something_, but the lack of things necessary to do made it difficult to achieve this sense of completion I so dearly wanted.

It took the entire first day and a half for me to get used to settling with only cooking meals and learning my script on my agenda for the entire day, as I was soon distracted in my own world as I took leisurely walks and imagined meeting the fairy kingdom among the trees and flowers.

But what I truly enjoyed most of all were meal times. It was during those times of the day that I always saw Tsuruga-san, and each time he arrived with a smile. Honestly, I rather enjoyed his company. I had never seen Tsuruga-san as frequently as I did now, that is except for the time that he got sick while I had been his manager.

Each breakfast we would greet each other and talk for a little while, then go off to do our own activities. We would meet again for lunch, and talk for a while more, sometimes having a full conversation. It was during this time that he teased me, but I am not as bothered by it as I was before. At dinner we would talk, switching from either conversation to small talk on alternate days. Then we would head off to bed, bidding the other a good night.

It was a nice and comfortable routine.

On the fourth day of this I noticed a small change in Tsuruga-san. Before, he would slip into his polite mask he always wore around others, but now those moments were becoming less frequent. I smiled to myself whenever I thought about that.

And yet this all changed on the fifth day, when the topic on practice scenes was breached again.

~O~

It was during lunch that the subject was brought up.

"Mogami-san, would you care to practice a scene with me later today?"

Hesitating only a moment, I nodded my assent. The breach of subject had brought up the memory of Tsuruga-san looking so saddened, and for a moment I had considered saying no to his question. But I also knew that this was what we were here for; the drama. So I agreed, albeit worried about Tsuruga-san. I didn't want him to turn melancholy after such friendly days.

The conversation was turned in a different direction, but my mind was occupied with thoughts of the practice. Looking up into his face, I could see that he was slightly troubled as well.

Oh dear.

~O~

Taking only our scripts with us to the room from before, we began a scene as soon as the door shut, Tsuruga-san simply stating "Episode two, scene five." _Action_.

"_Oh! You're here again!" I said, running up to meet Yori, who was sitting by the same rock as before, looking as though he hadn't moved from the spot. _

_He simply nodded his head to me as recognition. _

_I sat down next to him in the same spot as before, setting my backpack down with me. _

"_How come you don't talk much?" I asked, cocking my head to the side. _

"_I'm not a very talkative person." Yori said after a few moments. _

"_Well then, why don't we play a game then?" I asked, suddenly coming up with an idea._

"_A game?" Yori asked, appearing confused. _

"_Yeah! It's called twenty-questions – we each ask each other questions, until finally both of us have asked twenty questions. Simply, right? Oh, and you can't lie." I added as an after thought. _

"_Okay, let's begin. How old are you?" I asked straight away. _

"_Nineteen." Yori answered. _

"_Oh, you're not much older than me then – I'm seventeen, by the way." I paused. "Wait, I guess I shouldn't have told you that without you asking me. Oh well. Your turn."_

" _. . . "_

"_Come on, ask me anything." I prompted. _

"_Can I skip this?" Yori asked. _

"_No, it's your turn. Ask me something." I said, willing him on. _

"_Well then . . . What is your favorite color . . . ?"_

"_Rose pink." I answered immediately. "Okay, what kind of music do you listen to?" _

"_I don't really listen to music much." _

"_Oh, well then that's all right. Your turn."_

"_When is your birthday?"_

"_April 7__th__. What's yours?"_

_As I asked this, a frown came over his face, as though he was struggling to remember something. _

"_December 10__th__." He said at last. _

_And it went on like that, neither of us keeping track of the questions, until finally we had gone much over the supposed twenty, and it was time for me to go. _

"_Well, I'll see you tomorrow!" I said, standing up and putting my backpack over my shoulders. _

"_Tomorrow?"_

"_Yes, you'll be here tomorrow, won't you?" I asked. _

" _. . . Yes, I will."_

_A smile lit up my face. _

"_Okay, until then!" And with a wave I left the stream and headed home. _

At least that was what was supposed to happen. That was what the scene was supposed to be, however we never made it to the color question before Tsuruga-san stopped us and we began again.

And again.

Just like last time.

Upon the fifth try at the same scene Tsuruga-san gave a sigh and let his head fall in his hands.

I was frozen, unsure of what to do.

"Mogami-san, can we go over another scene, please?" I heard him ask after a moment.

"Yes, of course. Which one?"

"Episode three, scene one.

And yet the same problem there too.

" . . . Can we stop here for today? I'm suddenly feeling tired."

I nodded my head.

"Yes . . ."

"Thank you, Mogami-san."

Shooting a tired smile my way, Tsuruga-san stood from the spot he had been sitting on and headed towards the door.

Don't let him just leave like that! A voice at the back of my head screamed, and so before I knew what I was doing I turned around and gently touched his arm.

Looking slightly surprised, Tsuruga-san turned and looked at me. My face was burning at my daring move. Well, I really couldn't back down now. Clearing my throat, I finally spoke.

"Um, Tsuruga-san, if . . . if you ever need someone to talk to, you know I . . . I'm here . . . right?"

A surprised look crossing his eyes, there was a few moments silence before he finally spoke.

"Yes . . . I know . . . Thank you, Mogami-san." With a warmer smile on his face, he gently tugged at my arm, where I let him go.

Silently closing the door behind him, Tsuruga-san left, the silent click of the door signaling his departure.

_Well . . . that was something._ I thought. But I replayed the warm smile again in my mind, and couldn't help but smile as well. Even if the change was minuscule, I helped him in some way. That was good enough for now. At least now he knew that I was here.

A smile creeping up my own face, I picked up my script from where it had been sitting and left the room, a smile still upon my face.

**Ren**

_If you ever need someone to talk to . . . I'm here. _

The words kept repeating themselves in my mind, like a chorus to a song I could not get out of my head. The melody of her words as she said them, had caused me to forget about what had happened, if only just for a moment.

But moments are always short-lived.

_What have you been doing the past few days?_ The being that had now become more and more familiar as my conscience that did not beat about the bush and went directly to the point. This being was otherwise known as Ren Number Two, so to speak.

"Trying to practice Yori's character." I responded calmly.

_And what progress have you made on that?_

"Very little." I admitted.

_**None**_.

A small frown graced my features.

"Well what exactly am I supposed to do?"

_You know what to do. _

"No. I won't let Kuon out!"

_It is the only way-_

"-It is not the only way!" I insisted.

_Keep trying to fool yourself then. We both know what needs to happen. You may try all of the techniques you want, all of the things you were taught when you were younger about acting. It'll be a decent enough act. One fit for an amateur. But you and I know that it will never be good enough. _

I shut my eyes and forced my mind to go blank. A white sheet of paper. An empty space. Nothing, not even the slightest hint of anything besides that white emptiness.

I learned during the first few days conversing with this conscience of mine that it knew how to convince someone. It had the tone and debonair of a master at the art of deluding. Also, because it was a part of my conscience it also had the advantage of knowing how to push my buttons and did it well. But I would not be fooled.

I had learned early in life not to be fooled by anyone, especially once I had entered the entertainment business. Do not let others sway you. If you work hard, there will always be a way out of tough situations. There is always more than one way.

Once my mind was completely cleared, I waited for a time. One minute. Five minutes. An hour. It was impossible to tell time when in that state of pure calm.

Finally I opened my eyes.

Right then it was too soon in order to attempt to think about the character again, because then there was the risk of my conscience trying to convince me to become Kuon.

It was at that moment that the words from before rung again in my head once more, as though they had been waiting for just the right moment to make their entrance again.

_If you ever need someone to talk to . . ._

A smile graced my features once more. Standing, I walked over to the door leading outside and sat down on the porch*. The faint smell of jasmine washed over me, calming me further and reminding me of the woman of my affections.

I was at peace.

*** - Okay, so again there is the problem with me having absolutely no idea about Japanese culture and items, so I'm not quite sure exactly what the correct term for the thing outside the home that you sit on is called. In case you don't know what thing I'm talking about is, this was the best picture I could find, just remove the spaces and replace the 'dots' with the actual thing: http : / / hermonacasa dot com / wp - content / uploads / 2011 / 08 / Asian – nuance – terrcace – exterior – house – design – from – japan dot jpg It's that porch-like thing, if you happen to know what it's properly called tell me please, I would deeply appreciate it. **

**Thank you for reading, and here is a little preview of the next chapter! **

_It was that time of the week again. I walked to the bathroom, a small box in hand. Opening it, I set it aside for a moment before looking in the mirror and reaching upwards. The lenses came off without trouble, to reveal the alien yet familiar dark blue eyes I had been blessed with. Or rather cursed. _


	7. Author's Note

**Author Note: I am so, **_**so,**__**so**_** sorry for my inactivity for the past year or so. I know you all are disappointed in me and you all have the right to be, because I deserve it. I haven't even offered an explanation as to my absence and have just been horrible. **

**Real life kind of hit me with a bang – I've become involved in show choir, debate, drama, and honors society along with karate and trying to juggle my grades, plus I've been applying for scholarships and got a job, contacting colleges, you get the idea. I know I shouldn't have put so much food upon my plate, but that's kind of what happened. I barely have enough time to sleep, let alone sitting down to write a half-decent chapter of a story!**

**And I know, you all probably don't really want to hear my sob story, but that's what happened and I'm terribly sorry. This story will not be continued by me, however I have already given it up for adoption to Sarah Underwood, in case you wanted to check that out. It still has the same plot, and I'm not sure when she's going to post it, but I believe it will be soon, and the story will have the same plot and name it has now. **

**Again, I am so sorry that it has taken so long for this at least, so please do not hate me too badly. Thank you.**


End file.
